[Mpls] caucuses

[WizardMarks]

freealonzo at mn.rr.com wrote:

>Unfortunately this just confirms that the precinct caucus system is a joke. ... As I have posted before, the prencinct caucus system is elitist and discourages participation.  
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WM: Like Fred Marcus I'm a veteran of a long string of caucii. It's the 
first chance I have to meet all the most likely hopefuls (self selected) 
at one time where they will begin laying out their public reasons for 
wanting the job and showing their creds to bolster their arguments.
I accept the responsibility for judging whether or not they should go 
forward. Sometimes hopefuls are not ready for prime time yet. Others 
look and sound as though they don't have the energy to do the job once 
they have it. After that, there will be more than one remaining and I'll 
have to choose only one to support, not a comfortable situation when 
many of the hopefuls are people you've known a long time. It's not fun 
to withhold a vote from someone who just lives down the street or around 
the corner. But it is my duty as a DFLer to do so at times.
It's great having the elders all together who, among them, know a lot 
about where the bodies are buried, so also have an understanding of 
who's definitely not the one. It's grand to see them, when I haven't 
seen some of them since the last caucus.
It's terrific to look at a friend's child, now full grown with children 
of his/her own, step up as a hopeful.
It brings tears to my eyes to see all the youngsters I've never met come 
in to make their  judgments of the hopefuls. They're at that age where 
they have stars in their eyes, energy, hope. They're smart and wry and 
quirky--just like the generation before, but so refreshing.
I can't imagine wanting to miss such a celebration of democracy.

>WzardMarks, Central
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